McCahill, William P. Papers

Executive Secretary of the President's Committee on National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week (later renamed the President's Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped, and later the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped), 1949-73

The William P. McCahill Papers consist of two series, an Annual Meeting series and a Report series. The Annual Meeting series contains minutes from the annual meetings of the President's Committee on National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week from 1948 to 1951. The Report series includes a 25th Anniversary Report of the President's Committee, correspondence from President Truman, photographs, a brochure, the Committee's official seal, articles written by Mr. McCahill, and other items.

[Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List]

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ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Size: Less than one-half of one linear foot (approximately 300 pages).
Access: Open.
Copyright: Copyright in the unpublished writings of William P. McCahill in these papers has been donated to the United States of America. In addition, documents prepared by U. S. government officials in the course of their official duties are in the public domain. Copyright interest in documents that do not fall into these two categories is presumed to remain with the authors of the documents, or their heirs.
Processed by: Philip D. Lagerquist (1973); Craig Doty (2003).

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

1916			Born in Marshalltown, Iowa
c. 1938			B.S. in Journalism, Marquette University
c. 1940			M.A. in Journalism, Marquette University
c. 1940-1945			United States Marine Corps - Served with 4th Marine Division at Saipan and Tinian
1943			Wrote "First to Flight"
1949 - 1973			Served as Executive Secretary of the President's Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped
1970s - 1980s			Chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Scouting for the Handicapped
1981 - 1982			Served as Site Coordinator for New York Mainstreams Activities for Youth Project
1982			Consultant, YMCA's Office of Special Populations
1991			Joined Disability International Foundation Advisory Board
1992			Honored with name addition to the Sevier/McCahill Award given by Disability International to individuals who provide leadership in working with youth with disabilities
1999 (October 2)			Died at Veterans Hospital, Washington D.C.

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COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The papers of William P. McCahill deal with his service as Executive Secretary of the President's Committee on National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week (NEPH Week), which was established in 1947. The Committee was renamed the President's Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped in 1955. The word "Physically" was removed from the Committee's name in 1962. (In 1988, it was renamed the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.) McCahill served as the Committee's Executive Secretary from 1949 to 1973; prior to that, he had served as Assistant to the Committee's Chairman.

The collection consists of two series, an Annual Meeting series and a Report series. The Annual Meeting series contains minutes from the annual meetings of the President's Committee from 1948 to1951 (two meetings were held in 1948). The Report series includes a 25th Anniversary Report of the President's Committee, correspondence from President Truman, photographs, a brochure, the Committee's official seal, articles written by Mr. McCahill, and other items.

The meeting minutes include statements by President Truman affirming his support for the Committee's work and the need for continued efforts on behalf of disabled individuals, especially veterans of the United States Military. The minutes also include reports of the executive committee and of sub-committees dealing with such subjects as disabled veterans, education, and public information. Many of the reports refer to the benefits of employing the disabled, both to employers and to the economy as a whole. There are also references to the need to educate individuals with disabilities as well as the general public about vocational rehabilitation.

The 25th Anniversary report describes the history of the President's Committee and its accomplishments on behalf of the disabled. The published articles by Mr. McCahill emphasize the great potential of workers with disabilities and the importance of the Committee's work

Related materials at the Truman Library include the papers of Graves B. Erskine and the following files in the papers of Harry S. Truman: Official File 357aa (President's Trophy); Official File 443 (Physically Handicapped); President's Secretary's Files: General File (E); and President's Secretary's Files: Personal File (Mc and Marks, Ted).

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